Confrontation
by sailorpluto1709
Summary: A one-shot chapter that is in the middle of my longer fic "God of Fire." What exactly happens after Charlie is revived? WARNING: if you haven't read God of Fire, don't read this. You will just be confused. Unless, you want to... Loki/OC


**A/N: WARNING: To anyone that stumbles across this that is not reading my other story, "God of Fire," this is going to be a very confusing one-shot. This is actually a glimpse into what is going on in the middle of that story. If you care to read it, feel free. But know that you won't have a clue what is going on. Feel free to read GoF if you would like though. I won't mind. :D**

**Hello all! If you are reading God of Fire, you know that this is the one-shot I was talking about in that story. As you already know, it takes place in between chapters 28 and 29 and describes what happens while Charlie is unconscious. This is very Loki-centric which means there will be reflection, maybe some angst, and also some fun bits near the end. I tried to convey the absolute hilarity that is the situation at the end of this chapter, but I think it turned out more serious than how it was in my head. *shrugs* Oh well. Enjoy this little foray into other character's psyche's. **

Confrontation

Loki walks briskly down the golden halls, a mildly squirming and whimpering woman in his arms. His red eyes glare at anyone who dares look at either one of them. Charlie shifts and presses her face more closely against Loki's neck, clearly craving the cold his Jotun skin can provide. Every whimper she emits makes him wince, not that anyone can really tell. Only a few would notice the tightness of his shoulders and the way his eyes harden every time that distressed sound leaves Charlie's lips. He refuses to dwell on why she is alive, only to get her the relief she is obviously craving.

Upon entering the royal wing he quickly decides to take her to her own room. His own is not the place for any person to be in right now after the way he treated it the past two days. Using his magic, he shoves the door open and quickly shuts it behind him. He places a spell so that only his family would be able to enter the room and disturb either one of them. Walking across the ornate floor, he gently lies her down on the bed, making sure to keep his hand on her forehead when he is able to pull away. He takes a seat next to her and glances around the untouched room, looking for anything that may help him. His eyes land on the open bathroom door. Water would probably help her.

He spares a quick glance at her. While she is still squirming slightly, she appears to be calmer than she was. There is no accurate way of knowing just how much pain she is in though. He gently brushes the hair from her sweat-soaked forehead to try and offer her some more comfort. He looks down at her scorched funeral dress. The heavy, blue material cannot be comfortable. He places a hand on her stomach and forces the material to completely disintegrate, leaving nothing but the pale slip underneath. Now that the skin of her limbs is visible, he notices her muscles are jumping randomly which is probably causing her the most discomfort.

At a loss for how to help, he decides to follow through with his original plan: get a basin of cold water and then figure it out from there. Standing up, he drops his hand from her forehead and takes a few steps toward the bathroom. He doesn't make it far. A high-pitched keening falls out of Charlie's throat and he stops dead in his tracks only half way across the room. He turns to find her clutching the sheets, struggling to still her movements. Her keening slowly rises in volume before they become legitimate cries of torture. Flames start flickering to life along her arms and he rushes back to her to at least try and prevent the bed from catching fire. He wraps his hands around her wrists, wincing slightly at the heat, and pulls them out of the bedding to rest them along her stomach before pulling her up so her face is buried in his neck again. After a few minutes, the fire dies and she settles, at least a little.

"Damn," he mutters, holding her close to him. Getting into the bed, he reclines himself against the headboard before opening his loose black shirt to provide more of the cold she is unconsciously seeking out. She sighs and wraps her arms completely around his stomach upon contact. He smirks down at her. Even though she isn't aware of her own responses, they are still highly amusing. He moves her hair away from her neck so it flows down her back and wipes the tears from her cheeks. It's not much, but it is the only comfort he can provide her.

As the hours tick by, he watches as she slowly, slowly, starts to relax more. Her muscles stop twitching uncontrollably and she lessens her hold until she is hardly holding onto him. Loki keeps vigilant watch over the girl, tracking all of the changes her body makes to record and look up later. He knows she was brought back by magic. However, he has never come across such magic among his extensive study. The only possibility he can come up with is dark energy, a force even he will not manipulate unless absolutely necessary. Dark energy is tricky: in order to get a chosen response, it requires a payment equal to that which you are trying to accomplish. The only one he can think with the skill and nerve to use it is the All-father. He narrows his eyes in frustration. The All-Father could find a way to bring her back, but not him?

Charlie whimpers and shifts so her face is buried more in his chest before relaxing once more. He gently—so as not to disturb her rest—glides his hand through her curls. "What am I going to do with you, woman?"

She doesn't give him a response.

Honestly, this mortal girl that is currently lying in his arms has caused him more problems than he cares to admit. You'd think keeping someone alive and well would be an easy job. It should be an easy job for someone such as him. Unfortunately, that is not the case and it is irking him to no end. How is it possible for someone so young and fierce to be in the center of so many problems? And problems that he can understand and sympathize with? He grimaces at the empty room. While he hates to admit it, he can feel an ounce of empathy for the broken thing in his arms. She hides her pain well. But, he saw beneath her carefully constructed mask the night of her nightmare and his opinion of her was altered. To deal with that level of torturous pain and be able to walk away takes a great deal of strength.

He would know.

He remembers what she was like when she first visited the palace. It really shouldn't come as a surprise that trouble follows her like a puppy following its new master. Chaos tended to follow her wherever she went—well, whenever his mother was not with her. His mother always had a knack for knowing when a child is up to something devious. He remembers well when the young child ran behind him, surprising him to no end. It hadn't been that long since he was dragged back to Asgard in disgrace and everyone treated him with disrespect and even fear. Not that he minded. He liked that response in people, until it became tedious. Without his magic, he could only wile away his time reading and simply glaring at the men and women to provoke their fear. Then comes along a girl that barely reached his waist, being chased by men more than twice her size, giggling the entire way, and manages to attach herself to his person without showing an ounce of caution or care of the consequences.

It was… oddly refreshing.

He can appreciate a good prank, and children always find ways to make a prank lasting when allied with the right materials. Charlie's was certainly well thought out, even for someone her age. She was very carefree, even with the past that she had. Awfully trusting too. That little girl has long since passed away. It was something he noticed right away during her presentation to the All-Father. She had matured nicely, for a mortal girl. She looked brave, but when he looked closer he could see her pulse jumping in her neck. She was nervous, but not because of the All-Father—she was hardly fazed by him. She did not like being put on show for everyone in the room. At least she hadn't gained that insufferable trait of vanity from her father. But her eyes were guarded and she held herself with more caution than her younger self. He was curious about the change, but not enough to seek out the answers. She was just a mortal woman, insignificant to him and his wishes.

And then she had to go wandering about. He doesn't know why he felt the need to follow her, but follow he did. And she had to find that god-forsaken room. He may have told her that it was pure accident that she ran into him, but it really wasn't. He wanted to see just how much of that trusting little girl was still inside of her, or if it had been completely destroyed yet.

He was honestly surprised at the lack of fear she showed. And the amount of snark.

It's all too clear now why the All-Father granted almost all of his abilities back just before her return. While appreciating the sudden gift of his magic, he realizes now that it was only because of the woman in his arms that he was even granted that much. Even if she was nothing more of a nuisance when they were first forced into each other's company. And she forced all of his careful planning to a halt, even if she did not realize it. That is where the majority of his aggression came from when he was assigned to her. He does regret some of his words and actions toward her. However she was being a pain herself.

Her dull nails suddenly dig into his back as a wave of muscles along her own back contract. He runs his hands along the offending, silk-covered, rigid tissue, trying to get her to relax again. He supposes it's not surprising that her body is responding so violently after being completely shut down for two days straight. His eyes narrow again at the reminder. Two days she was gone. Two days he had to stew over his failure. He allowed his charge—his friend—to be hurt, to die in his arms. And there was not a single thing he could do to change that.

Admittedly, he really had no further interest in her after their few encounters as the person she dubbed "Jotun Man." It wasn't until he was walking back one night after starting his search for who and what was threatening Asgard that he heard it: her screaming. It was late, and no other guards were around. He rushed into her room, fully expecting to find some foe trying to take her or harm her when all he finds is her flailing against an invisible enemy that only she could see. And when she awoke…

He shakes his head at the memory. He shouldn't be so effected by the way she looked at him. There was so much fear in her eyes. The young mortal girl who never once showed any indication to him that she was afraid (wary, yes, but never afraid) of him, was suddenly petrified. He realized dimly that it wasn't him that she was scared of—it was whatever was torturing her mind—but it still shook him.

That night changed his opinion of her. As one who understands torture and survival, he knew what she was going through, even if their torturers used different techniques. His hands unconsciously trace the outlines of her scars that lay just beneath the thin material. Hers was branded on her skin. His was an attack on his very physiology. But the mental scars are just the same. He became infinitely more curious about the fiery, auburn haired, and admittedly kind young woman. She never seemed to let that pain get in the way of her daytime life or let it overshadow her experiences. She seemed to suffer in silence, at night, so she didn't affect her loved ones or cause them to worry.

He wanted to see all that she could do and endure.

He knew that something was different about her when she became ill. No human could get as high a fever as she did and survive. But she did. And she was then able to keep up with him during her training, even if she was always overpowered in the end. Then her true heritage came to light and he knew, without knowing how he knew, that even though she would fall apart, that she would get back up and fight back.

She is very strong indeed.

Just before daybreak, the door to the room suddenly creaks open. His hands still and he watches as his mother comes through the door, shutting it firmly behind her. She walks slowly over to the both of them, her eyes resting solidly on the young girl. She sits carefully on the edge of the bed, one of her hands reaching out to rest against the back of her head. Charlie moves her head just slightly so she is facing the queen. Not once does she open her eyes, but the older woman smiles just the same. Her blue eyes meet Loki's red ones. "How is she faring?"

"She is in a great deal of pain," he responds, keeping his voice low. "It seems this is the only comfort I can give her." He gestures to their odd position and the fact that Charlie is clinging to him quite strongly for someone who just arose from the dead.

The queen nods. "I cannot remain long. The palace is in an uproar and I felt you deserved to know everything that happened before I left to go deal with the situation."

His eyebrows furrow in confusion. "What situation, Mother?"

She sighs and her eyes lower until they are staring at the relatively peaceful face of the girl that she has now begun to see as her own daughter. "Not long before Charlie's sudden revival, Jane herself fainted during the twin's lesson."

"Is she alright?" he asks, eyes widening in alarm.

"Yes, she is alright. It upset Modi and Magni a great deal, but she is recovering just fine. Without Thor here, I have been doing my best to keep my eyes on her." She looks back up into her son's face. "There is a reason behind Jane's fainting spell and Charlie's simultaneous revival."

Loki's eyes narrow. "What did the All-Father do?"

She smiles, but it is a very sad smile. "He sacrificed a great deal to make his son's happy."

"Mother?"

She takes a deep breath, as if readying herself for a terrible revelation. "The All-Father, my husband and your father, gave his own life to extend the lives of these two women."

Stunned silence slams into the room. Loki simply stares at his mother in disbelief as her eyes trail down to Charlie, still blissfully unconscious in her son's arms. She smiles gently and cups her cheek. "While I wish it hadn't of cost this steep of a price, I am glad that Charlie is with us all again."

Loki, the man of quick wit and a tongue made of silver, sits in stunned silence as he watches his mother watch Charlie. The All-Father, the man he wished nothing more from than an ounce of his approval, was dead? "Mother," he finally calls, still in shock, "why?"

She smiles gently. "There is always a purpose behind everything your father does." She glances back down at the sleeping woman lying on top of her son. "Even in his death."

Loki also stares down at Charlie, his mind whirling with this unexpected news. All of his careful planning now has to be reevaluated. But, if the All-Father is dead, then who is to take the throne? His brother is on Midgard, staying with Charlie's family until later that day when she was supposed to be sent to start her journey to Valhalla. With a sudden slam of clarity, he realizes that means he is going to have to deal with _them_. He can't help the mild glare that he sends down to the unconscious girl. She is far more distracting than she should be.

"Loki," Frigga calls, recapturing his attention, "get some rest. I doubt Charlie will be moving about much in her state. You can afford a few hours of sleep." She smiles slightly before hovering her hand just over his cold cheek. Unlike Charlie, she cannot touch her son while he is in his Jotun form, but she can still show some level of affection. "Do not fret over the state of the palace. Until your brother returns, I will handle it. You need your strength to deal with our dear Charlie's family."

He levels a small glare at his mother for her reminder. She simply smiles before rising and leaving the room. He sighs to himself before leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Sleeping for a few hours will not hurt, especially if he is going to have to deal with that group of people. However, his mind doesn't rest for a few more hours, his mind whirling over the possibilities this new situation affords him.

OoO

Loki awakes to the sound of Charlie whimpering. He looks down to see that the woman had somehow managed to wiggle her way off his chest and onto his side, completely pressed against him. He raises an eyebrow at that. Why would she move away? Unless it was simply a spasm that forced her to move off of him. He shakes his head at her. Honestly, he has to keep both eyes on her at all times in order to make sure she isn't harming herself. Very carefully, he scoops up the young woman and places her back to where she was. She groans and nuzzles into his shoulder, arms draping around him yet again. He can see the muscles in her arms and parts of her lower back twitch, showcasing exactly where her pain is coming from. He glares down at the offending tissue, trying to will it to cease by his look alone. If only it were that easy.

The sun is beginning to set and he realizes with a small sense of surprise that he had slept the entire day away. Well, when you include the fact that he hardly slept the past two days due to his own demons resurfacing every time he shut his eyes, it really isn't that surprising that he slept so long. He has very little time before his brother and the rest of his comrades arrive. A particularly devious smile crosses his face. This could potentially be a great deal of fun.

Another hour passes before the door opens once again. Thor opens the door wide and escorts all of them in. Loki watches them out of the corner of his eye as they take in the size of the room before they all land on himself and Charlie. Thor is the first to react, grimacing slightly before looking away. He knows the look that on his brother's face a little too well. And he also knows that his comrades are not going to take seeing Charlie in that position with his brother lightly.

As it stands, he's not entirely sure how _he_ feels about it.

Upon their arrival on Asgard, Heimdall quietly informed them of what had transpired since his departure. The news that Charlie was in fact alive confused and exhilarated everyone on the team. Thor, being the humble guide, did not ask how such a feat was possible as even he only wished to visit his little one and see how well she was doing. Heimdall warned them all that she was, in fact, in a lot of pain but Loki was helping to ease her suffering. Thor was surprised and happy at the aide his brother was giving her but also curious as to how. His brand of magic did not deal with healing, so was it possible for him to help her?

Standing here, watching his brother watch them, made some of the pieces click into place. He knew from talks with Jane and his mother that cold was helpful to her training with fire. It seemed the element helped to rejuvenate her strength and keep her exhaustion at bay. It is no surprise that she would require it now when her very body was trying to readjust to being alive again.

However, his brother's method does call into question his motives.

Thor glances to the rest of his team to see them all standing in various states of shock. The Man of Iron seems to be the most effected, his jaw slightly agape while he watches his daughter rest on top of Loki's blue skin. Bruce is simply standing beside his friend, keeping his eyes on Charlie and making sure she is in fact breathing, for all the world looking like he is ignoring the blue man she is lying across. Steve's eyes are flicking between the two, trying to figure out if the man is a threat to his daughter. Peter is grinning in obvious amusement at the position his sister is in. Natasha and Clint are both matching the glare that Loki is levelling them with fierce ones of their own.

Loki simply watches them all, his eyes daring them to do or say anything to disturb his charge. While it is fun to poke them all and see their reactions, if it costs Charlie any amount of her current comfort, he will not partake in it. He doesn't move and doesn't remove his hands from her back, just watching them as they all try to gather their wits to respond to the situation. Oddly enough, his brother is the most active, eyes flicking between the two groups.

Tony opens his mouth fully before shutting it. He glances around the room at his other teammates before levelling a concerned look on his daughter. He moves forward a step and points at Loki. "Please tell me I'm not seeing what I think I'm seeing," he says to the group.

Thor steps forward and faces his comrades, effectively blocking Loki from their stares. "Now, let us all be civil about this—"

"Civil?" Tony yells. "Civil to Rock of Ages? Nice try, Point Break, but he happens to have his paws on _my_ daughter!"

"Where is my bow?" Clint mutters savagely, still glaring at the Jotun.

"Tony," Steve says, staring at him coolly, "we don't know the situation. You need to calm—"

"Don't tell me to calm down, Steve. He is touching my daughter!"

"Nat, where is my fucking bow?"

Peter is standing behind them all, covering his mouth in an attempt to muffle his laughter. While he knows fully well the trouble the trickster gave his family, he can't help but find the entire situation hysterical. While the rest of his family is freaking out, he keeps his eyes on Loki. His glare has been replaced with a small grin. He obviously wanted them all to find him and Charlie just how they are. But he can't help but notice how Charlie is completely wrapped around him as if her life depended on it. "Oh, I wish I had my camera," he mutters to the arguing group. Not that anyone heard him. He is never going to let her live this down.

Natasha's death glare shifts to Clint when he demands, yet again, to be handed his bow. He is allowing his anger at Loki to cloud his judgment. And he is also forgetting that they didn't bring any weapons on this trip. Well, she did, but no one else thought to bring any.

Steve is actively keeping a hand on Tony's shoulder while pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. While he also doesn't like what he sees, they don't have the full picture yet. Tony continues to rave at Thor who is attempting to quell his anger so they can all talk, which is obviously falling on deaf ears.

"I demand you get away from my daughter!" Tony finally yells around Thor's bulk. He would march over there and force the man away from his daughter himself if it weren't for Steve's very solid and almost painful hold on him.

Loki levels him a glare that has made greater men quake in their boots. "I assure you, I would not be in this position if it was not completely necessary. As it stands…" he trails off, lowering his eyes to the top of Charlie's head. Her eyes have scrunched tightly shut. He does not for one second doubt that she can hear what is going on. "To move away from her would cause more harm than good," he finally finishes, meeting his red eyes again with the now silent group in front of him.

"What are you saying, brother?"

Loki sighs and rolls his eyes. "I am saying that any time I have tried to move away, she has started screaming and erupted into flame." He quietly adds to himself that he has only tried once, but he is sure the same outcome would occur if he were to try it again. A small grin spreads across his mouth. "I assure you, this is the best solution to such a problem."

He can practically see the hackles rise on Charlie's father and the Hawk Man. The rest are staring at him warily, whether in response to his explanation or smile he is unsure. The only one who seems to be completely relaxed is the boy, the one he has never seen before. He has already assumed this is Charlie's brother, Peter. He seems to find quite a bit of enjoyment out of all of this.

Tony shakes his head. "Not acceptable," he finally says, throwing his hands in the air. He turns to Bruce. "Come on, science bro! Hulk out and get rid of this creep."

Bruce gives Tony an exasperated look. "Tony, stop."

"No! I will not stop! I want him away from my daughter."

"Fine," Loki says suddenly. The group turns to look at him in various degrees of disbelief. "If my words will not convince you, then maybe her actions will." He gently takes hold of Charlie's arms and removes them from around his stomach, moving them so they lay at her sides. She groans in response. He already knows he is going to regret this, but he has to prove his point. He gently rolls her over onto her back and climbs off the bed, watching as his skin returns to its porcelain white. He steps away from the bed and stares at the group in front of him in barely contained rage.

All of them are watching Charlie warily. Bruce takes a step forward to try and get a better look at her. Her face is contorted into one of pain. He moves forward just enough to be able to touch her neck, checking her pulse. As he holds his fingers over her pulse, he notices a steady increase in its beat. His eyes widen as a whimper escapes her.

"I would recommend stepping back, good doctor," Loki says, trying to contain the rage he feels upon hearing that sound. He didn't want to bring it to this point.

Bruce glances up at the man who is still defiantly facing and staring down his friends. Maybe there is in fact truth to his words? He rises back up to his full height, keeping an eye on his niece. As he watches, her breathing picks up. Before long, she is grasping at the sheets groaning and whimpering nonstop. He steps back. Steve tries to move forward but is stopped by Loki's quietly muttered command: "Don't."

As they watch in growing anxiety, Charlie begins writhing on the bed. A few seconds later, screams of pure agony rip from Charlie's throat. Loki's eyes harden, but he refuses to move to comfort her until he knows that they completely understand what she is going through. Flames erupt along her arms and legs, growing in light and intensity as the seconds tick by. Before long, she is completely engulfed in blue flames. The bed under her catches and the fire spreads completely across the frame. They all take a step back, wide-eyed. All except for Loki.

Satisfied with their reactions, he turns back to the raging inferno that is Charlie's previous bed. He wills his Jotun form forward and hits the bed with a blast of his ice, putting out the flames. Charlie is still on fire however. As gently as he can, he picks her up, wincing at the heat of her flames. He may be able to counter Charlie's fire and balance it out, but he is still a Frost Giant and strong heat is his weakness. Her flame putters out after a second and she attaches herself to him, her face immediately burying into his neck. After a few more seconds, her whimpers finally subside to mere groans and she begins to settle down. Loki levels his red glare on the group standing before him. "Now do you understand?"

He doesn't wait for a response. He moves to the other side of the room and arranges them exactly how they were before, only on his bed. He shuts his eyes and waits for any form of response from the other men and woman in the room.

"I still don't like it," Tony mutters. His arms are crossed across his chest, but his eyes keep darting to his daughter in concern. Steve hasn't taken his eyes off of Loki. Peter is also just standing there, at a complete loss for how to help his sister.

Natasha's glare has fallen and Clint is standing in dumb-founded silence. Bruce is quietly observing the two on the bed, keeping a close eye on the breathing rate of his niece as she slowly calms down. Thor's eyes are locked on Loki.

Loki slowly opens his eyes and stares back his brother. "You may want to check on your wife. She happened to faint while Charlie was being revived."

Thor's eyes widen in concern. He glances around the room at his comrades. Peter is the only one who tells him to go. They should be able to handle this just fine. Thor finally leaves the group, only asking to be called if they should need help for anything.

Loki looks around at the staring group. "Please, take a seat. Make yourself comfortable."

Tony narrows his eyes at the sarcastic tone. "Don't think for one second I am leaving her in your clutches, Blue Boy." He moves to take a seat on the sofa directly in front of the bed. He doesn't move his eyes away from Loki the entire time. Steve merely sighs and shakes his head before also sitting beside Tony. Loki smirks. Well, if they are going to stay the night, might as well have a little bit of fun.

Everyone else finds somewhere to sit and they all lapse into a tense silence.

"Did anyone else think that fire was totally awesome?" Peter questions.

_Twack_. "Ow!"

OoO

Eventually everyone in the room falls asleep. Natasha is the first one to wake, blinking around at the ornate room from her perch on the sofa. Charlie and Loki haven't moved an inch. Clint is also sleeping, however his eyes, as always, are wide open. The only reason she knows he's asleep is because of his breathing. After being his partner for years, she has learned the signs. Tony and Steve are both passed out on the other sofa, Tony somehow falling completely across the Cap's lap. Bruce is reclined in the armchair, feet over one of the arms. Peter is lying sprawled on the ground in front of the chair. If she didn't know better, she would have thought they were all in the movie room back in the Tower.

Loki is watching Natasha as she takes in her surroundings. He always thought she was the more intelligent one out of the group. Yesterday helped to solidify that assumption. Out of all of them, she was the first to notice the benefit of the position he is placing himself in for Charlie while also it being the least beneficial to him. How he noticed? When she turned her glare onto her partner.

Slowly, the rest of the room comes alive, each with various stages of wakefulness and groaning. Tony is the last to wake up, as usual. But when he does, he immediately sits up to pin Loki another suspicious glare. Loki simply stares back, giving them all his most innocent expression. Not that it works.

Tony opens his mouth but Steve cuts him off before he can even say anything. "Tony, don't start."

"What? I was only going to say good morning."

"Oh, here we go," Peter mumbles, shaking his head at the man who he has looked up to as a father. He is just looking to pick a fight.

"You really should not lie, Man of Iron," Loki intones, smiling sweetly at him. "It is unbecoming of a soldier of your stature."

"Says the God of Lies," Tony retorts.

"Oh, so you admit I'm a god?" His smile changes to one of pleasure. "That is good."

"Yeah, I admit it. You're the god of crazy nut jobs with Daddy issues."

"Like you're one to talk," Peter mumbles. Bruce flicks him on the side of the head to get him to shut up.

Clint is shaking his head. Natasha looks over to him, pinning him with a quiet glare. If he so much as joins in on this madness… "I still owe you an arrow, Loki. I'd watch what you have to say." And he did.

The argument between the three men continues to escalate, much to the annoyance of the other occupants in the room. Peter rolls his eyes and flops his head back onto Bruce's leg. Natasha's glare intensifies at Barton. She is seriously contemplating punching him out and keeping him unconscious until this whole mess is over. Steve is simply keeping a hold on Tony to make sure he doesn't actually attempt to take on the Asgardian like he keeps threatening to do. A headache is starting to blossom between his eyes. Bruce keeps his eyes on Charlie, watching as her breathing picks up subtly and her face contorts into one of pain. The arguing must have woken her up.

Loki can feel the subtle shift in Charlie's consciousness, although he doesn't acknowledge it. It is far too much fun spinning Tony into an enraged frenzy. During a lull in the argument, he can hear her groan very quietly and her nails dig a little deeper into his shoulder. He turns his attention to her while his eyes stay focused on the men in front of him.

"You are so lucky I don't have my suit with me, buddy. Or I would so kick your blue a—"

"I have a headache the size of Texas. Everyone shut up."

Well, suffice it to say, everyone shut up. Charlie moved just enough to rebury her face into Loki's neck, wrapping her arms back around his middle. After a moment, her breathing steadied and she was back out cold. Tony and Clint stared in stunned shock while Loki simply smiles in smug satisfaction.

"Alright, I think that is our cue," Steve says, standing up from the couch. "We're heading back."

"What? No way!" Tony yells, albeit quietly. "Not without my daughter!"

"And not before I can shoot this creep with an arrow," Clint adds.

"Barton, I _will_ punch your lights out if you don't shut up," Natasha threatens. Clint finally notices the glare she has been giving him for the majority of the morning and finally shuts up.

"Look, Tony, she's not going to be able to handle the trip home right now. And we seem to be causing more discomfort for her. We'll visit after she is back on her feet."

"And we also don't want to cause another war," Peter adds, standing up and completely supporting his Pops with this decision.

Seeing Tony ready to fight back, Bruce stands up as well and adds, "Natasha and I will stay behind to monitor and make sure Charlie is healthy and safe. We'll come back when she is back to normal." Natasha nods in agreement. If she was surprised at her sudden role, she doesn't show it.

Clint stands up and crosses his arms over his chest. "I think this is a horrible idea. I'm staying here."

"Yeah, I'm with Legolas! I'm staying right here where I can see my daughter and protect her from _his_ nefarious clutches."

"No you're not," Natasha responds.

Steve sighs in annoyance. "Peter," he quietly commands.

Peter smiles. He knows without having to ask what the Captain is asking of him and he is going to enjoy every second of it. He hasn't been able to do this in a while, and it will be nice to do it again. He quickly walks forward and before Tony realizes what is going on, grabs him and throws him over his shoulder. "Sorry, Dad," Peter chuckles amidst the shouts of outrage. "Captain's orders." Without waiting for anyone else, he walks out the door, confident they will follow.

"That is _not_ going to work on me!" Clint yells, jumping onto the back of the couch away from the staring captain.

Natasha turns quickly and punches her partner right in his forehead. He immediately falls off the back of the couch and to the ground, out cold. She turns back to Steve. Steve picks up the unconscious man, holding him under his arm and begins carting him out of the room. Before he moves to the door, he pauses next to the bed and watches his daughter for a second more. "Take care of her," he requests, finally meeting Loki's eyes.

Loki stares into Steve's serious face for a second before nodding his head. Steve nods back before walking out of the room. Natasha and Bruce glance at each other before looking back to Loki. They both sit down and settle themselves in for the long wait.

Charlie sighs against Loki's chest, capturing his gaze once again. He combs a hand through her matted curls, simply deciding to continue watching her rest and hoping that she will awaken soon. And not in a screaming fit.


End file.
